Laundry machine, suds overflow control



Nov. 29, 1960 C. E. SULCEK LAUNDRY MACHINE, SUDS OVERFLOW CONTROL 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 14, 1957 draw,

INVENTOK mmes E. SULCEK ATTORNEYS Nov. 29, 1960 c. E. SULCEK 2,961,863

LAUNDRY MACHINE. SUDS OVERFLOW CONTROL Filed Jan. 14, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 WASHING a2\ 9 108 2: Ti l5 INVENTOR.

CHARLES E. SULCEK ATTORNEYS United States atent LAUNDRY MACHINE, SUDS OVERFLOW CONTROL Charles E. Sulcek, Stevensville, Mich, assignor to Whirlpool Corporation, I a corporation of Delaware Filed Jan. 14, 1957, Ser. No. 633,952

1 Claim. (Cl. 68-20) The present invention relates to improvements in laundry machines and more specifically to a combination laundry machine for washing and drying clothes within the same unit, and an improved drying mechanism for combination laundry machines.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved drying arrangement for a combination laundry machine wherein the soap or detergent suds are positively prevented from escaping from the clothes treatment chamber through the drying air circulation system to enter the machine cabinet and damage the electrical controls and operating elements of the machine.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved air circulation system for a combination laundry machine wherein a heater box is provided for heating the drying air and the heater box discharges directly into the clothes treatment chamber and has an air intake Within the cabinet of the machine.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved combination laundry machine wherein the clothes are both washed and completely dried within the machine and which includes an air conduit with heating ducts and a fluid sealing door positioned at the intake to the heating elements with the machine being provided with an electrical control system that maintains the door in a closed position during the washing operation and automatically opens the door when the machine is to be operated as a drier.

Another object of the invention is to provide a combination laundry machine with a drying air system having an improved sealing door on the intake to the air heater with an improved door operating mechanism capable of maintaining the door in a sealed condition when the machine is laundering the clothes and opening the door when the machine is to be used as a drier.

Other objects and advantages will become more ap parent with the teaching of the principles of the invention in connection with the disclosure of the preferred embodiment thereof in the specification and claim and appended drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the heater box which contains the heating elements for warming the drying air to be circulated through the laundered clothes;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken along line II-II of Figure 1;-

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of a combination laundry machine with a portion of the cabinet and internal conduits broken away to better show the operating elements therein;

Figure 4 is an enlarged side elevational view of the heater box assembly;

Figure 5 is an end view of the heater box assembly of Figure 4, illustrated on a slightly smaller scale than the mechanism in Figure 4; and,

Figure 6 is a schematic circuit diagram illustrating generally the control'of the laundry machine.

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As illustrated in Figure 3, the combination laundry machine is housed in a cabinet 10. The cabinet is provided with an access door 12, which may be opened for placing the clothes within the cabinet or removing them when the laundering operation is completed.

Within the cabinet is provided a treatment zone for the clothes, shown generally at 14. Within this treatment zone the clothes are subjected to the action of a washing fluid for the cleaning operation and subsequent rinsing fluids to complete the washing. Subsequently, the machine is used as a drier with the'clothes remaining in the same treatment chamber 14 and being subjected to a heated drying air for removing the remaining moisture.

The treatment zone may include a rotatable drum 16, which during the drying operation is rotated to tumble the clothes therein to increase their exposure to the heated drying air. The mechanism for completing the washing operation, prior to the drying, need not be described in detail and consists essentially of a container for washing fluid and the necessary fluid lines and valves for conducting and moving the washing and rinsing fiuid to the treatment zone 14.

After the washing operation, the machine is operated as a drier and drying air is drawn in through the louvers 18 at the back of the cabinet 10.

The air is drawn down into the intake duct 20 of the heater box 22. As the air passes down into the heater box 22 it flows over the heating elements 24 to be raised in temperature for circulating through the drying clothes.

The heater box 22 is shown positioned directly adjacent the treatment zone 14 and has its discharge duct 26 leading directly into the treatment zone. The heater box is supported on a bulkhead 28 directly adjacent the rotating drum 16 and the path of travel of the heated air is thus reduced to a minimum. The discharge duct 26 is attached to the heater box 22 and the air may enter the drum 16 such as through an annular perforated area 27 in the wall of the drum.

The air then circulates through the rotating drum 16 and is drawn from the rotating drum 16 by the fan 30. The air, after entering the rear of the drum through the duct 26, may leave the front of the drum 16 and be drawn along the top of cabinet 10 to pass into the fan 30 whereby it is forced out through the discharge opening 32 at the back of the cabinet.

The fan 34! is carried within a fan housing 32 and has an intake opening communicating with the interior of the cabinet to draw the moisture-laden air therefrom.

The fan 30 is rotatably supported on a bearing 36 carried on the fan housing 32. The housing is suitably supported within the drier cabinet 10, and is positioned with the fan supporting shaft 38 carrying a driving pulley 4% in a position to receive the driving V-belt 42. The V-bclt is suitably driven by a motor, not shown, and a tightening pulley 46 may be provided to maintain the proper tension on the belt.

The heater box 22, through which the air passes just before it enters the clothes treatment zone, is shown in detail in Figures 1, 2, 4 and 5.

The heater box 22 is shown in the form of a rectangular shaped chamber 48 which may be formed of sheet metal or the like. As illustrated in Figure 4, the heater chamber 48 supports heating elements 24, which are shown in two banks 50 and 52. The upper bank is provided with terminals 54 and 56, to which electrical leads are connected. The lower banks are also provided with terminals '58 and 60, to which electrical leads are also connected. The banks 50 and 52 may be individually or jointly operated to obtain the desired control of the temperature of the air that enters the clothes treatment chamber.

The heating elements are of the form which are embedded in a heat emitting material and may be Calrod elements or the like. The elements are not affected by soap or detergent suds which may enter the heater box 22 from the clothes treatment chamber 14 during the time the machine is being used for washing purposes. During this time an excessive suds will be frequently stirred up within the treatment chamber 14 and may enter the heater box. With the embedded type heating element, the elements are not affected.

The air enters the heater box 22 through the intake duct 20 and is discharged through the discharge duct 26. These ducts may also be formed of sheet metal or the like and be rectangular in form providing a connectible extension for the heater box.

Although the heating elements within the heater box 22 are not affected by moisture and soap and detergent suds, the suds, if permitted to escape into the cabinet 10, would damage the operating elements therein and would come in contact with the automatic controls which are provided for the machine. The suds would contact with the operating parts and cause rust and corrosion of the metal parts and would cause an electrical hazard. To prevent the escape of suds, the intake 20 of the heater box 22 is provided with a sealing door 62. The door, as shown in Figures 1, 4 and 5, is pivotally supported on a center pintle pin 64 which extends through openings 66 and 68 in the side walls of the intake duct 20. The pintle pin is clamped tightly to the door by attachment members 70 and 72 which may be pivoted to the door in the manner shown in detail in Figure 2.

The door is thus pivotally supported for movement between an open position, as shown in the dotted line position of Figure 2, and a closed position, as shown in the solid line position of that figure.

In the closed position the edge 74 of the door fits snugly against a sealing gasket 76, and the opposite edge 78 fits snugly against a sealing gasket 80. The sealing gasket 76 extends half way around the duct 20 to be engaged by one half of the peripheral edge of the door 62, and the gasket 80 extends around the other half of the duct 20 to be engaged by the other half of the peripheral edge of the door 62. Seal thus forms a moisture-proof barrier preventing the passage of suds or moisture from within the chamber 48 of the heater box 22. Since the intake duct 20 draws air from within the cabinet 10, the suds are thus prevented from escaping directly into the cabinet 10.

For operating the door, the pintle pin '64 is bent at right angles at its end to provide an operating arm 82. The operating arm fits into a hole 84 in an operating push-rod 86, which is connected to the core 88 of an operating solenoid 90. The solenoid 90 is mounted at the upper end of a bracket 92 attached to the intake duct 20 by bolts 94 and 96, as shown in Figure 4.

Attached to the operating arm 86 is a coil tension spring 9 8 which is secured at its lower end to bracket portion 100. When the solenoid 90 is not energized, the coil spring 98 takes over, pulling the door-operating arm 82 downwardly to swing the door 62 to open position. When the solenoid is energized, however, the operating arm 82 is swung upwardly to the position shown in Figures 4 and 5, wherein the door 62 is closed and sealed.

A very schematic illustration of operating circuitry which may be used to operate the laundry machine is shown in Figure 6. The elements for operating the machine for washing the clothes are shown schematically at 102, and the elements for operating the machine for drying the clothes are shown schematically at 104. The switch means for operating the washing elements is shown at 106, operated by a cam 108. The switch means 110 closes to operate the drying elements 104 and is operated by a cam 112. It will be understood that the known types of control timers may be used in this instance with the various time control switches operating the necessary elements in the predetermined sequence and relationship. The switches close to complete the circuit between leads 114 and 116.

The solenoid for operating the sealing door 62 is illustrated in Figure 6 as connected in the circuit with the washing elements 102. Thus when the switch means 106 is closed to operate the machine for washing the clothes, the solenoid 90 is energized to close the door 62 and insure that the intake through the heater box 22 will be positively sealed. Thus, any suds and moisture which enter the box will be positively prevented from escaping into the appliance cabinet 10.

When the machine terminates its washing cycle, the switch means 106 will open and the switch means 110 will close to place the drying elements 104 in the circuit. At this time the solenoid 90 will be deenergized and the compression spring 98 will open the sealing door 62 for free circulation of air through the heater box.

Thus, it will be seen that I have provided an improved air supply arrangement for combination laundry machines which meets the objectives and advantages above set forth. The mechanism is simple in operation and provides a device which supplies heated drying air directly to the clothes treatment chamber in the laundry machine. The sealing door positively prevents the escape of suds into the cabinet to damage the operating elements or to provide a possible electrical hazard, and is arranged and located so that it will not interfere with the efficient operation of the mechanism for heating and circulating the air.

The sealing door is positive in operation and arranged to operate cooperatively with the elements of a combination laundry machine to achieve the desired effects. In the event of failure of the solenoid or its circuit, the door will be in the open position, thus preventing the danger of operating the machine as a drier with the door closed to cause overheating.

I have, in the drawings and specification, presented a detailed disclosure of the preferred embodiment of my invention, but it is to be understood that I do not intend to limit the invention to the specific form disclosed, but intend to cover all modifications, changes and alternative constructions falling within the scope of the principles taught by my invention.

I claim as my invention:

In a combination washer-dryer, a casing having a transverse bulkhead dividing the interior of the easing into a treatment zone and front compartment and a rear compartment for housing machine operating parts, a drum rotatable in said front compartment on a horizontal axis and having a foraminous rear wall, said bulkhead having rst and second spaced openings formed therein, said first opening being spaced opposite a portion of said rear wall of said drum, said second opening being spaced outwardly of said rear wall of said drum, blower means in said rear compartment at said second opening having an inlet receiving air from said treatment zone and having a vent discharging outside of said casing, whereby air is drawn through said first opening into said drum and vented through said second opening, a heater box mounted on said bulkhead having a discharge duct connected to said first opening, a moisture-resistant-type heating ele ments in said heater box capable of satisfactorily effecting heat transfer regardless of laundry liquid which may enter said heater box through said first opening and said discharge duct, means forming an intake duct in said heater box having an inlet opening between said rear compartment and said heater box, means venting said rear compartment to the atmosphere, whereby air drawn through said first opening may be temperature-conditioned in said heater box to enhance the drying characteristics thereof, and a sealing door in said inlet opening selectively opened during drying operations and closed to prevent the escape of laundry liquid into said rear Compartment against said machine operating parts during 2,399,555 Locke Apr. 30, 1946 washing and rinsing operations. 2,533,888 Kahn Dec. 12, 1950 2,555,268 Chamberlin May 29, 1951 References Cited in the file of this patent 2,607,209 Constantine Aug. 19, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 2,252,229 et a1 P g? 2, 89,4 3 Kac uck Sept. 2 1 4 2,166,294 Heme July 1939 2,770,122 Jackson Nov. 13, 1956 2,328,256 Breckenndge Aug. 31, 1943 

